AY - 22) Stardrive – Epilogue
by Cpt. Kallan Beyda
Summary: Set in the Academy Years Universe. Dylan and Kallan make up on the way home. As with everything, it comes at a price.


'Kallan,' ignoring the brunette, Dylan attempted to climb out of the bed.

Doubled over in pain, the door to the hall and his teammates still open, Captain Beyda's heard his wife's words reverberate into the hospital room. Understanding the fury came from their suspected loss and his near miss, he needed to go after her. Kallan rarely lost her temper. Thankfully, Dylan had never been the object of her icy demeanour although he'd seen it once or twice.

'Dylan,' Kirsten rushed over to him. The blood drained from his face as he stood. Clutching his chest, he began to gasp for breath. Calling out to the three men in the corridor, she yelled, 'can I get some help in here?'

Expecting trouble, Grant led the charge. His training allowed the senior captain to take in the scene and react instantly. His eyes met Dylan's for a split second and he saw the desperation in the younger mans gaze. Moving to push the Blue Angel pilot out of the way, he forced Dylan back into bed and pressed the bell for medical attention.

'You shouldn't be moving around,' Grant demanded. 'After the close call you had and the scare you gave us, you need to rest.'

'Kallan,' Dylan pleaded. His gaze attempted to follow the rapidly moving footsteps echoing down the hall. Forcing the anxiety into his voice, he struggled to calm his breathing and decrease the pain. 'Grant, she thinks she's pregnant, or at least could have been before this mission.'

Swearing under his breath, he gave the young man a hard assessing look. Obviously Dylan only just found out. It caused the rash behaviour.

'I wouldn't have let her come if I'd suspected,' Grant stated.

'I know, but I've seen her like this before,' Dylan confessed, trying to let him know how critical the situation, 'although I could count on one hand the number of times in the last twelve years. Kallan's hurting. When she's vulnerable she retreats inward. I promised I'd never let her do it again. It almost destroyed our relationship at the academy and I'm not willing to let that happen.'

'You've been together that long?' Kirsten asked, astounded.

'Four years at the academy and another year and a half on our first posting,' Dylan stated, leaning back into his pillows. Talking about their past, allowing the memories to flow into his mind helped Captain Beyda control his pain.

It obviously came as a surprise to Jesse and JJ. Glancing at each other, Kirsten could see them asking the other if they knew. A shrug told her they'd been as much in the dark as she'd been.

'This,' Dylan ignored the others, 'isn't the first pregnancy scare. The last time Kallan didn't tell anyone either. She planned to leave the Academy quietly so it wouldn't affect my chance at the Thunderbird team.'

'Does Commander Simpson know about this?' Grant rubbed his chin. Grey eyes clashed with his pilot.

'He knew about the previous relationship and the negative test from Kallan's medical record.' Dylan's three teammate's expressions demanded he continue. 'One of our first missions together. A weather satellite malfunctioned and Bubaloo Island was hit by a storm.'

'I remember,' Jesse joined in, 'Kallan lost control of TB13 and broke her arm. You rescued her while the rest of us flew to TB6. I always thought the pair of you had something going on.'

'Looks like you were right,' JJ offered with a good natured grin.

'Not then,' Dylan managed to look embarrassed. 'Kallan appreciated what we'd always felt when her mother passed way. I realised she finally returned my feelings the day she rescued me from the waterfall in South America. When we got home, I didn't want to waste any more time.'

'Smooth talker,' JJ teased. 'You married ten days later, while the technical team fitted the TX15 to TB2. Hey that must be close to two years ago.'

'Anniversaries in ten days,' Dylan nodded, 'and I promised Kallan I'd be home from this assignment to start working on expanding our family.'

'While that's nice,' the doctor broke in, 'I need to examine my patient. By the sound of it, I have another patient that may need attention. Please have Mrs Beyda report to me on the double Captain Hanson. Please close the door on your way out.'

'Grant,' Dylan pushed the doctor away. The movement sent a searing pain through his right lung.

'Jesse, get Kirsten out of here. JJ, go after Kallan. I don't care how you do it, but get her back here,' Grant ordered.

'Come on Kirsten,' Jesse, ever the gentleman offered, 'let me show you the areas of TB17 only the crew gets to see.'

'Let's look at what damage you've managed,' Dr Nichol Hallas didn't give her patient any option as she turned off the call button. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave Grant a determined stair. The older man left with a worried expression on his face.

'What's your pain score out of ten?' Nichol asked, her reproving bedside manner allowing a scowl on her face.

'Twelve,' Dylan returned. One hand still clutched his chest.

'Is that physical or emotional?' Nichol smiled, watching the man attempt to elevate his discomfort.

'Take your pick,' Dylan fired back, wincing when the doctor's gentle hand touched his back.

'I'll write up a pain shot,' blue eyes twinkling, she delivered her bad news, 'and get your nurse to administer it. You're not going to be able to practice for that baby in the next month. Your ribs and lungs need time to heal. For the next week you're going to be confined to TB6 and the zero g infirmary, if you follow doctors' orders. The weightless environment will help you heal more quickly.'

Taking the dressing down with a swallow, Dylan swallowed. 'How long will I be off the team?'

'Six to eight weeks,' Nichol passed the sentence, 'if your ribs heal well. You've had a flail chest, Captain Beyda. That's no laughing matter. You could have died out there. In fact you came very close. I did what I could to patch up the damage, but you've had a few injuries before making the job more difficult. In my professional opinion, it's time you stopped placing your life at risk, especially if you've got a wife and child waiting for you to come home.'

Leaving him alone with that thought, it gave Dylan time to think. _What if Kallan's right? This job's too much of a risk for her, even in the early weeks. If she'd off the team, there's no way she can come in at the last minute and save my butt the way she's always managed. Am I being selfish, taking on missions like this one, or running off against orders because my conscious tells me I have too? I can't stop being who I am but I can't take the risks if we have a child either._

'A penny for them,' Grant offered, entering as the nurse finished administering Dylan's medication.

'How did you manage it,' Dylan's serious expression asked, 'with Caroline and the kids.'

'I didn't,' Grant smiled sadly, 'that's why we're separated.'

'I'm sorry,' he managed, 'I didn't know.'

'It's only recent although not the first time she's gone back to England with Michaela and Samuel,' Grant offered. 'You have an advantage. Kallan's a Thunderbird pilot, Dylan. She understands the risks we take, the hours we work and the reward we get out of our careers. I made the error of not involving my wife from the very beginning. By the time I did, it was a case of too little, too late.' Sighing heavily, he added, 'I came to tell you, we found Kallan with Dr Hallas. I'm not going to have an option, if your wife's pregnant. I can't risk her if this is what you both want.'

'It is,' Dylan answered, sorrowful brown eyes closing. 'I didn't realise how much until Kallan told me today.'

'I'm glad you feel that way,' Kallan's soft voice broke into the conversation. She'd entered the room just after Grant. 'I'm not pregnant anymore, Grant, so you don't need to worry for the moment. We'll let you know when we start trying again.'

'I'll leave you to talk about it,' he offered, a hand reaching out to the woman's shoulder as he passed. 'I'm sorry, Kallan, Dylan.'

After their commanding officer left, Dylan opened his arms. Kallan went into them without hesitation. 'How far?' he asked when the tears finally stopped.

'Seven weeks,' she offered. 'I've been in denial, believing the implant wouldn't stop working this early. Dr Hallas thinks it's been below an effective level for at least three months.'

'You didn't do a test at home?' Dylan wondered.

'No,' shaking her head, Kallan pulled back to look at her husband. 'When I considered it a real possibility, you'd already gone. I didn't want to be off the team.'

'Kallan,' he spoke softly, 'you're going to have to give up at least the some of the missions.'

'I'll have to leave permanently,' she returned. 'It won't be safe for me or you. I won't put you in the position of having to choose between doing what your conscious dictates and having your attention focused away from the mission because you're trying to protect me.'

'We've got a few months before it becomes an issue,' Dylan coaxed softly, forcing her to lie down beside him on the bed, 'let's just spend some time together.'

Smiling inwardly, Dylan watched his wife's lids close. Spooning her body, Kallan placed her left hand under her right cheek. It had always signalled her readiness to sleep. Counting silently, he reached fifteen before she started to softly snore. It told Dylan Beyda about the level of her fatigue.

'I love you, Kallan,' he murmured before allowing the analgesia let him follow.


End file.
